Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish Government will consider setting up a ’Parades Commission’ similar to Northern Ireland, to look at routes of Orange Order marches.

She said it will be looked at after incidents of “sectarian singing and anti-catholic bigotry” in Glasgow recently.

Sturgeon said she has asked the Justice Secretary what further action could be taken to “maintain the important balance of peaceful procession and freedom of speech abut also the ability of people to go about their daily lives without feeling unsafe and being free from harassment.”

She added: “I’ll ask the Justice Secretary to consider the possible creation of a parades commission as part of that.”

Sturgeon said peaceful procession and freedom of assembly are “fundamental rights and we are all committed to upholding these”.

She added, however: “It is also a fundamental right of any person and any community to go about their business without fears for their safety.”

Sturgeon said she “unequivocally condemned all instances of anti-catholic bigotry which we have seen on our streets in recent times.”

She added: “There is no place for it in a modern Scotland and we must all show zero tolerance towards it.”

Glasgow Times:

Glasgow Cathcart SNP MSP, James Dornan, had asked the First Minister if she would consider the move saying a commission take a ”non-partisan and independent look at the number and routes of such parades.”

He said parades last Saturday went past Catholic churches causing distress to communities and parishoners.

Glasgow Times:

The parades were met with protests by a group who want them to be stopped going past Catholic churches. 

Dornan said: “Anyone old enough to remember the annual battles at Drumcree will verify the difference the Commission has made in Northern Ireland”

He said it would “go a long way to taking some of the heat out around the discussion of the parades.”